Mute mechanism for harps.



A. ZAMARA & J. PERL. MUTE MECHANISM'FOR HARPS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.16.1915.-

Pat'emea Jan.25, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Hal

IN VENTOR 50 7 WM Z W W ATTORNEYS.

THE COLUMBIA PLANCIGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, D. c.

A. ZAMARA & J. PERL.

MUTE MECHANISM FOR HARPS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.16 1915.

' 1,169,589, Patented Jan. 25, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

AfTalP/vsys.

THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0., WASHINGTON, D. c.

carried by the head of the harp, which crank UNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED ZAMARA AN D JOI-IANNPER-L, OF VIENNA, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

MUTE MECHANISM ron HARPS.

To all whom itm/zy concern 7 Be it known that we, ALFRED ZAMARA and JOHANN PERL, both subjects of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, and resid ng at Vienna, IV, and Vienna, III, respectively, in Aus triaeHungary, have invented certain new and useful Improvements-in Mute Mechanism for Harps, of whichthe following is a specification.

like, and mechanism foractua'ting said damper which utilizes'a minimum number of parts and enablesthe same to be-actuated by ahand lever, or a foot lever at the-will of the operator, without restricting the freedom of play. v

A further objectof our invention is the provision of alink connection between the hand lever or foot lever and the crank disks,

disks receive: the spindles or shank of the mute cr damper and are so constructed and arranged that they are adapted to be rotated in unison by either the crank or foot lever, which movement of either one of these cranks will cause the mut'e to move toward or from the strings as desired. I

, The details of the invention will be better understood by reference to the following detail'description.taken in connection with the drawings forming part of the specification. 1 In the accompanying drawing'sz-F1gure 1 is a side elevation of our invention. Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5 are deta-il views of the different parts of our invention' Referring now more part cularly to the drawings wherein like numerals lndlcate corresponding parts the numeral 13 designa tes the usual harp'having a-pillar23 and a neck 1, the harp also being provided with the customary sounding board 13. Secured to the neck bymeans ofrelatively fiat members 12 having apertures therein for the passage of fastening devices are the mute "supporting plates 11, which plates follow substantially the contour of the neck of .the harp and at their opposite endshave offset flanges24', which receive fastening Applicationfiled March 16, 1915 Serial No. 14,753.

This invention'relates to improvements in. a damper or mute for harpstrings and the engagement with the strings. plate 11 is provided-with apertures adapted cured to crank disks Specification of Letters Patent. v Patented an. 25, 1916- screws or the like and secure, the ends of the plates to the pillar. The plates 11 have openings therein arranged in spaced relatlon and support the movable mute 2. The mute 2 is provided with a series of stem portions 4c extending at right angles thereto and around which coil springs are placed,

one end of each coil spring bearing against one of the plates 11 and the other engaging.

a collar bearing on the cross pin 6 carried by the stem to normally hold the mute'in The other to be later described, and the opposite ends of the operating members are rigidly se- 5 by suitable cross pins 7 or any other means. In order to avoid a multiplicity of numerals corresponding numbers indicate like parts of all of the crank disks as these disks are all same general construction.

Intermediate the ends ofeach shank is a cross pin 9, which forms a seat for a washer on which one end of the spring rests. These cross pins are held in engagement with the cam ways 8 formed on the periphery of each operating member 7, these cam-ways as disclosed in the drawing being arranged on each side of the operating members,

whereby a rotary movement of said on crating members causes the pin 9 to rlde outwardly in the cam ways, which moves the .shank portions 4 forwardly to correspondingly position the mute 2 against the stress of the spring 10 into engagement with the harp strings. We have only de- 1 scribed the operation of one of these operating members with its corresponding cross pins, but it will be apparent that as they are all of the same construction, they operate in the manner as above described.

and provided with transverse aper-- of the The operating members 7 are arranged in spaced relation to each other and are operably connected so that they rotate in unison, this connection being by suitable links, 12, which are pivotally fastened to the crank disks 5 arranged at one end of each operating member by means of eccentrically mounted pins 5 attached to the outer face thereof. One of the link members is provided with an elongated slot near its outer end, permitting a pivotal connection between this link and the hand-operated crank 19. This construction enables the mute to be actuated by either the hand or foot mechanism with an equal degree of success whenever desired.

At one end of the neck 1, a curved lever- 15 is pivotally connected thereto, 'by a pivot pin let, and at its outer end this curved lever carries a stud 16, the purposes of which will be presently described. The foot lever when being operated does not in any way impart a movement to the hand lever, this being due to the fact that the slot in the outer end of the link 21 permits this link as well as the operating mechanism for the operating members to have a bodily movement independent of the hand lever.

Adjacent the end of the curved lever 15 is a pivoted rocking arm 19, which is provided with a cam slot therein designated by the numeral 20, in which the stud 17 of the lever is adapted to move, so that any movement imparted to the lever 15 will cause a rocking of the crank 19 in the direction of the arrow indicated in Fig. 2 about the pivot 18 for moving the mute toward or from the strings. The coil spring 22 arranged on the pivot pin 14, normally holds the mute in its inoperative position.

At the opposite end of the frame is a pivoted bell crank lever 25, pivoted to a pivot pin 2% secured to the frame of the harp and through the medium of the link 26 connected to the nearest crank disk. The outer end of the lever 25 has attached thereto an operating cord 27, this cord extending downwardly the entire length of the frame and around a roller 28 to an actuated pedal 29, this pedal being retained in its normal position bv a coil spring 30.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that we have provided a damper mechanism for the purposes described, whereby the mute or damper by the action of the hand lever 15' may be brought into engagement with the strings, this hand lever actuating the said mute through the medium of a series of operating members connected by a series of pivoted link members. these crank disks as described, provided with cam ways on their periphery to engage cross pins carried by the mute, whereby a moveu'ient of the said cam ways correspondingly shifts the mute. It will be also seen that the mute may be operated by the actuation of the pedal 29, this pedal in turn causing the rotation of the operating members through the medium of the bell crank lever 25 and link 26.

It will be understood that the mute can be of various constructions, and the operating members changed without materially departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed as new is 1. In a harp, the combination with a frame, having a sounding board and springs attached to the frame and lying adjacent the sounding board, of a mute supported by said frame and extending across the strings, a double arm lever carried by the frame, means connecting said lever with said mute whereby the mute is moved into and out of engagement with the strings, comprising a stud on one arm of the lever and a second rocking lever having a cam groove therein engaging said stud.

2. In a harp, the combination with a frame having a sounding board, strings carried by the frame, a mute attached to said frame, a hand lever supported by the frame at one end, a foot lever secured to the lower end of the frame, an operating mechanism for the mute having an operative connection therewith, and means connecting the foot and hand levers with the operating mechanism for moving the mute toward or from the strings upon the actuation of either of said levers.

3. In a harp, the combination with a frame, strings carried thereby, a mute carried by said frame having a plurality of elongated shanks extending therefrom, actuating mechanism for said mute consisting of a plurality of operating members having slots passing therethrough for the passage of the elongated shanks carried by the mute and a cam-way arranged in each of said operating members, engaging members carried by the elongated shanks and riding in the cam ways, and means for actuating said operating members to cause a movement of the mute toward or from the strings.

4:. In a harp, the combination with a frame having strings carried thereby, a pair of plates supported by said frame, a mute carried by said plates, a series of operating members journaled in one of said plates, connections between said operating members and said mute, and a lever for actuating saidoperating members to move the mute toward and from the strings.

5. In a harp, the combination with a frame having a sounding board, strings carried by said frame, of a mute supported by the frame and extending across said strings, a hand lever secured to the frame at one end thereof, a foot lever near the lower portion of the frame, and operating means conspecification in the presence of two witnected with the mute'and including slotted nesses.

links connected with the hand lever and the ALFRED ZAMARA. foot lever and being adapted to be actuated J OHAN N PERL. 5 by either the hand lever or the foot lever to Witnesses:

move the mute toward and from the strings. RUDOLPH ZIPsER, In Witness whereof We have signed this AUGUST FUGGER.

\ Copies 0! this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

